The proposed experiment is unnecessary and cruel, and more scientifically valid research can be conducted without harming animals.

The Taiwanese Council of Agriculture (COA) is planning to test whether a new strain of rabies will spread from ferret-badgers to dogs. It aims to inject rabies into at least 14 puppies, and it is hoping that the world will turn a blind eye to this awful experiment. But it is already well-known that rabies can infect warm-blooded animals.

As World Rabies Day on Sept. 28th approaches, COA should be focusing on an aggressive rabies vaccination campaign asking all citizens of Taiwan to vaccinate their dogs and other animals – instead of wasting valuable time, effort, and money on useless experiments.

I am writing to ask that the Council of Agriculture halt plans to give rabies to beagle puppies. The proposed experiments are cruel and unnecessary. Rabies research can and should be conducted without harming animals.

If the experiments go forward, these unfortunate animals will have to endure the severe effects of the rabies virus, which include anxiety, confusion, painful muscle spasms, paralysis, and death. Instead, the Council of Agriculture should be working to determine whether current rabies vaccines are also protective against this strain of the virus.

Nonanimal laboratory procedures can address this issue quickly, without killing any animals.